By Abigail Harper, Center for Regional Food Systems
The fourth annual Michigan Apple Crunch joins the Great Lakes in aiming for one million crunches!
Last year, over 400,000 people throughout Michigan celebrated Michigan agriculture by participating in the Michigan Apple Crunch. On October 13, 2016, schools, early childhood programs, hospitals businesses, organizations, and individuals are invited to participate in the 4th annual Apple Crunch by biting into a Michigan grown apple in a celebratory, collective crunch.
The Michigan Apple Crunch started in 2011 in several schools in Muskegon county. In 2013, it went statewide, and folks across Michigan have been crunching ever since. How loud can we make the crunch in 2016? As a part of the regional Great Lakes Apple Crunch, Michiganders will be crunching alongside folks in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana. This year, the goal is reach one million crunchers across all six states, and we’re well on our way!
To participate, simply register for the crunch, determine where to source your Michigan grown apples, and schedule a time for your collective crunch. You can amplify your crunch further by dressing up, incorporating nutrition activities into your day, and sharing your successes through social media. The Michigan Apple Crunch Facebook page is a great resource for innovative ideas and inspiration to make your crunch extra loud, and a place to share your pictures and videos afterwards.
The Apple Crunch occurs during National Farm to School Month, and is one of many opportunities for K-12 schools and early childhood programs to celebrate their farm to school efforts.With Michigan as the third largest producer of apples in the United Sates, there is no better way to celebrate our agricultural heritage!
Need help sourcing your apples? Cultivate Michigan’s Apple Purchasing Guide is a great resource that can help you find apples through food hubs, local farmers, broadline distributors, and other purchasing avenues. Sign up at miapplecrunch.com to participate in this year’s Crunch and access additional resources, and use the hashtags #MIAppleCrunch and #GreatAppleCrunch.
